Mumbai: Veteran actress Usha Nadkarni, who is known for her role of Savita Deshmukh in TV show Pavitra Rishta, feels young actors need to focus more on work. "When we worked on small screen there was more respect for everyone including co-stars, unit members and dedication for work," Usha said.

"They (young actors) seem to be more interested in talking on the phone rather than paying attention during rehearsals. When I am on the set, I keep my cell phone away," she added. Like her reel avatar, Usha, 66, is known to be blunt in real life as well.

"If I am rude, so be it. I am straight forward. Even if my best friend does something wrong, I will tell it on her face. But there is no malice or ill feeling within me... I say what I feel, I am open about my thoughts," she said.

After playing a stern mother-in-law in the daily soap Pavitra Rishta, Usha is now trying her hands at comedy with upcoming show 'Mrs Pammi Pyarelal'. "I like to experiment and do different roles. It is fun to play different characters. I want to offer variety to my audience," she said.

In Mrs Pammi Pyarelal, Usha plays the role of Dadi. "I play a retired jailer. Considering the kind of profession she was in, she is rude and hard to deal with," she added. Usha rubbishes reports that her role was first offered to veteran actress Rohini Hattangadi.

"It is not true. The fiction head of Colors channel Prashant Bhatt, knows me since quite some time. He wanted to work with me on this show," she said. Mrs Pammi Pyarelal will go on air from Monday on Colors.